Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

With regard to the impact of the promissory notes, which will come to perhaps €21 billion over the next ten years, adding €2 billion each year, will the Minister in order to meet the commitments he has made to the EU in respect of borrowing over the coming years have to find that €2 billion in further cuts in expenditure or further increases in taxation? Given that we have had 250,000 job losses in the course of this recession to date, does he still hold to the view that writing whatever cheque is necessary to keep the banks afloat and fiscal retrenchment is enough to confront the jobs crisis? Does he not agree with many who believe a real strategy for the jobs economy is critical and missing from his approach to date?

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